1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to footwear, and more particularly to a tongue stiffener for footwear.
2. Related Art
Snowboard boots provide a rider with a selected combination of flexibility and support for comfort and board response. Snowboard boots also provide the rider with good xe2x80x9cfeelxe2x80x9d or feedback from the board as it traverses terrain to allow for improved board control in a variety of conditions.
Board control may be affected by the stiffness of the boot. With increased stiffness, such as provided with hard boots, comes increased force transmission and greater board control. However, hard boots may be uncomfortable, especially while walking. On the other hand, flexible boots (soft and hybrid boots) may be less responsive to rider induced forces but are more comfortable. Hybrid boots include features of both soft and hard boots. In this respect, hybrid boots may include a rigid or semi-rigid sole and an upper portion divided into a rigid or semi-rigid lower portion and a flexible top portion.
Boots are known which attempt to balance the comfort of a soft or hybrid boot with the force transmission of a hard boot. These soft or hybrid boots may include a tongue configured with a rigid member or stiffener for imparting stiffness and resulting power transmission particularly on toe-side turns. Such tongue constructions, however, may create pressure points on a user""s foot or leg when the boot is flexed. In this respect, as a rider leans against the top portion of the boot tongue during a toe-side maneuver, the stiffener may bend at the mid-section, which may pinch the dorsal area of the rider""s foot near the ankle. In addition, flexing of the tongue may cause the front end of the tongue stiffener to dig into the dorsal area of the rider""s foot near the toe.
The present invention is directed to a tongue stiffener and to a tongue including a tongue stiffener (hereinafter referred to as tongue constructions) that provide enhanced footwear stiffness. The tongue stiffener may be adapted to conform to the shape of the footwear tongue and is configured for movement relative to the tongue as the footwear is flexed forwardly. By allowing the stiffener to move in a controlled manner pinching of the dorsal area near the ankle may be minimized as may be digging of the stiffener into the dorsal area near the toe or shin. Pinching by the stiffener may further be controlled by forming flex inducing members along at least a portion of the sides of the stiffener. Consequently, footwear including the inventive tongue stiffener arrangement provides both repeatable enhanced power transmission as well as improved wearer comfort. In addition, the stiffener may include apertures for receiving stiffness adjusters for varying the flexibility of the stiffener.
In one illustrative embodiment of the invention, a tongue construction for an article of footwear includes a tongue and a tongue stiffener. The tongue stiffener includes an elongated body having a first portion engaged to the tongue and a second portion movable relative to the tongue as the tongue is flexed forwardly. Movement of the second portion thereby reduces pressing of the stiffener into the tongue.
Various embodiments of the present invention provide certain advantages. Not all embodiments of the invention share the same advantages and those that do may not share them under all circumstances. This being said, the present invention provides numerous advantages including the noted advantage of providing repeatable increased stiffness to a soft or hybrid boot while reducing discomfort during flexing of the boot.
Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.